Long-chain alcohols have a number of uses in cosmetics and personal care. Long chain alcohols such as behenyl alcohol are useful as emollients to make skin smoother and prevent moisture loss. Other alcohols are useful as active ingredients. One such example is idebenone, which is a potent anti-oxidant which has been shown to reduce skin roughness and fine lines and wrinkles, and also to improve photodamaged skin (McDaniel, D. H.; Neudecker, B. A.; Dinardo, J. C.; Lewis II, J. A.; Maibach, H. I. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2005, 4, 167-173). This material has also been claimed to induce protective and regenerative effects (U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,045), reduce skin hyperpigmentation (US Patent Publication 2005/0175559), and to reduce irritation and/or inflammatory reaction in human skin (US Patent Application Publication 2005/0197407). Ester derivatives of idebenone may improve the physical properties of this orange solid. In addition, esters of idebenone with fatty acids will hydrolyze in the skin to afford idebenone along with the fatty acid derivative which may also have positive benefits.
The classical chemical preparation of esters such as idebenone involves either the reaction of the alcohol with an acid, acid chloride, or acid anhydride. These methods often use either harsh reagents or high temperatures, which can cause difficulties if either the alcohol or the acid derivative is unstable.
There have been reports of short-chain esters of idebenone and similar molecules. U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,083 reports alkyl esters of idebenone and similar molecules where the alkyl ester has 1-4 carbon atoms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,757 describes acetate esters of idebenone and similar molecules. U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,045 describes hydrophilic esters of idebenone, particularly sulfonic acid esters. None of these references prepared these materials by enzymatic means.
None of the references describe a derivative of idebenone with a long-chain fatty acid, which may be more physiologically compatible and less irritating to skin than a shorter chain fatty acid (Schurer, 2002, Contact Dermatitis 47: 199; Kojima et al., 1998, Altern Animal Test. Exper. 5: 201).